I am sure you know how a dream can seem so real, that when you wake up you wish it wasn’t a dream…
It is Saturday April 28th; the weather is good but somewhat windy. I am focused on a ride into the Hill Country and the possibility of real Texas BBQ for lunch.
The same wind that has been drying the ground much faster than expected, will be pushing my motorcycle around if I ride to the Hill Country.
FYI, for those of you that are not familiar with the Hill Country it is south west of Waco, west of Austin and San Antonio. The area has many hills and lots of curvy roads which make it fun riding. Also wealthy people have a tendency to build homes in certain parts of the Hill Country. Fredericksburg, TX is a tourist trap town with lots of shopping (not my favorite).
A friend mentioned in an email that she was hungry for some BBQ. This got me to thinking about Texas BBQ and the possibility that I might want to participate during a noon meal.
I had decided on Llano, TX. This is about 130 miles from home. That double “L” in the spelling (Llano) is odd. Coopers Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que is the name of the establishment I hoped to visit. I need to leave about 9:00am to arrive at the Lunch hour. As crowded as they usually are arriving after the lunch rush might be prudent. There are several roads that will take me to Llano all I need to do is decide on either the fastest route or a fun ride route. Fun ride won, I prefer to stay off the interstates unless I am in a hurry.
The Gold Wing had been washed yesterday and it did not have a bug on the windshield (unusual). It had a full tank of gas and there were a couple bottles of water in the trunk. All I needed to do was get my helmet, gloves and riding jacket and hit the road. No, it wasn’t cold. My jacket has armor in the arms and back just in case I was to go sliding down the road I would have some protection. No it isn’t real armor, it is plastic but it is strong and will help protect retired seniors when they fall. Maybe I need to wear the jacket all the time.
On the road, I am heading southwest; the wind is strong when I ride through the open areas. The ride for the most part was uneventful, I noticed that the Bluebonnets were gone, my eyes were a little itchy from the tree pollens that the wind was stirring up.
After a couple hours of riding and one short break, I came into Llano on Hwy 29 which not so incidentally was the road that Cooper’s was on. Hwy 29 was also W. Young St.
Llano has a small lake in town with a small dam that can be seen from Hwy 71. I have sat outside the junk stores (while my lovely wife was inside shopping) and watched the locals swimming near the dam.
A few blocks away I could see some white smoke in the sky, I assume it was from the BBQ pits. It was about 12:15, there was a lot of traffic in the little town so I was riding very slow, watching for the drivers that are not watching for me. The head lights on my motorcycle have a pulsing mode; they rapidly go from bright to dim. These pulsating lights usually get the drivers attention. Occasionally they think I am a police officer and pull over.
About a block away from Cooper’s I first started to faintly smell the fabulous aroma of smoked Brisket, Chicken, Sausage, Steaks and more. I had told my friend I would think about her when I was eating but I actually thought about her as soon as the aroma drifted under my face shield. Evidently the wind was blowing at me, the closed I got the stronger the smoked flavors were.
I arrived and as usual there were no visible parking spaces. I said visible because occasionally I can ride through a full parking lot and find a parking spot just right for my bike. I parked next to the dumpster.
I removed the helmet and jacket; the fragrance was causing me to salivate. I was imaging the tender sliced brisket, cold slaw, potato salad and the beans. Cooper’s has a pot of beans on the counter where the silverware is kept and you can have all you want.
I walked through the line getting all the above mentioned items and my unsweetened tea. $16.82 for my noon meal, but I did not let the cost distract me from my goal of enjoying 20 minutes of “heaven on earth”. Looking for a seat I was hoping to sit next to a pretty young lady but that wasn’t going to happen. There was an open seat next to an older lady. As I walked close I could smell someone’s perfume over the aroma of the brisket. No way would I sit there.
Keep looking, I thought, there must be another open seat. Just then across the room 3 people got up from their seats, I had found my seat. I would sit next to a fellow that was as old and ugly as me. I climbed over the bench and sit down.
I took my plastic fork and tried to cut through the brisket. I had to use the plastic knife, but if I would have had real silverware, the fork would have been all I would need. Lifting the fork with the brisket toward my mouth, I knew the brisket was going to taste so good; I again thought of my friend.
Was it a “Day Dream” or “Real”?
From the aroma filled salivating mind of Don Ford
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